Rowden House School

Inspection of Rowden House School Rowden House, Winslow, Bromyard HR7 4LS

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rowden House School is a magical place to learn. Leaders and the proprietor have set high expectations for themselves, their staff and their pupils. All staff are committed to helping pupils succeed. The bespoke curriculums for every pupil are exceptionally successful in making these aims a reality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils have complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). Almost all have previously been out of education for a long time. Leaders make decisions in the best interest of all pupils. Staff want pupils to achieve their personal potential, and they consistently do. Pupils love their school, do well and flourish here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Care, nurture and a passion for learning live at this school. Leaders focus on pupils’ well-being and ensuring pupils are able and ready to learn. The programme to promote pupils’ personal and character development is highly effective. As a result, pupils learn to work alongside others and actively engage in their education. Through the excellent extra-curricular offer, pupils learn valuable, independent life skills. They are exceptionally well prepared for adulthood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm, positive and orderly environment. The purposeful, supportive and positive relationships between staff and pupils are joyous. All at the school describe Rowden House as a family.

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better?

The curriculum offer is exceptional. As one teacher said, ‘All of our pupils are capable of and will make progress.’ Staff quickly and skilfully get to know every pupil and tailor the care and learning to the pupils’ individual needs and difficulties. This means that pupils receive highly effective support to take part in learning actively. For some pupils and students, this school provides their first positive experience of learning.

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better?

The school’s curriculum ensures every pupil has their needs met and takes into account individual starting points. For example, for some this might involve mental stimulation, curiosity in the world around them, engagement in tasks or perseverance with activities. Pupils flourish under the highly effective care of staff who work skilfully together to ensure that pupils fulfil their potential.

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better?

Staff are experts in ensuring that all interactions are highly purposeful and build up pupils’ learning over time. Pupils engage in appropriate activities, working alongside their key worker to tackle the tasks set. Many use alternative forms of communication to demonstrate their understanding. The familiar routine and strong relationships excellently support pupils’ achievements.

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better?

Staff ensure that pupils have many opportunities to hear nursery rhymes and read books or stories to them. For instance, a story about a worm shapes pupils’ outdoor 1 to 3 July 2025 learning sessions in the woods, which pupils keenly take part in. For those pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read, the chosen programme is highly effective. The school supports pupils very well to improve their reading skills and fluency.

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better?

Pupils’ and students’ behaviour is underpinned by excellent pastoral support and nurturing relationships. The school has a very clear understanding of why pupils and students behave in the way they do. Staff spot immediately if a pupil shows signs of distress or discomfort and act swiftly to mitigate this. Everyone understands the strategies to use with each pupil to help them manage their emotions and feelings. As a result, incidents are often dealt with before they become issues. This work is highly effective and ensures that the school is a calm and purposeful learning environment.

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better?

The school’s work to develop pupils’ mental health and well-being is exceptional. This work includes a plethora of outdoor activities which pupils enjoy. Pupils learn about recognising and responding to emotions and feelings and supporting one another. Pupils learn about fundamental British values well. For example, a class MP is voted for every morning in one group, and they decide who completes what chores for the day. In addition, they learn about healthy relationships in an age- and ability-appropriate way.

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better?

Pupils’ preparedness for adulthood is excellent. Staff go out of their way to ignite passions and interests in pupils and then support pupils on their pathways where appropriate. For example, one student helps out at a local farm while another helps at reception and in the school’s kitchen.

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better?

All staff speak highly of the training and support they receive, including for their well-being and workload. They are proud to work at this excellent school. Parents and carers are unanimous in their praise for the school. One spoke for many when they commented that the school had not only changed their child’s life but that of the whole family, saying, ‘We are no longer alone.’

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better?

Leaders and the proprietor body set clear strategy, hold themselves and staff to account and meet their statutory obligations. They accurately identify the school’s strengths and what needs to improve. They have ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards in a systematic and consistent way. The school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted 1 to 3 July 2025 Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 1 to 3 July 2025

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Email address rowden.info@senadgroup.com

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form

Date of previous inspection 28 to 30 June 2022 1 to 3 July 2025

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Information about this school

 Rowden House School is an independent special school that caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. Pupils’ prime areas of need are cognition and learning and communication and interaction. Most pupils have a diagnosis of autism.  All pupils have an EHC plan. A range of local authorities place pupils in the school.  The school is registered to admit up to 48 pupils. Pupils can join the school at different points in the school year.  The school is in the same grounds as a children’s home, which is also owned by the SENAD Group. Most pupils who attend the school reside at the children’s home. The children’s home is inspected separately.  The school is surrounded by extensive, picturesque grounds and woodland that are used to support the delivery of the curriculum.  The school does not use any alternative provisions.  The school’s last full inspection was in June 2022 where it was judged to be good.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, where appropriate, to prepare pupils for adulthood and provide pupils with impartial and meaningful information about possible future career paths.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and senior teacher. The lead inspector held a meeting with the chair of the proprietor body. The lead inspector also met with the lead teacher in her capacity as behaviour lead. Meetings were held with other staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: communication and language, mathematics, physical development and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited classes, spoke to teachers, spoke 1 to 3 July 2025 to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed school’s outdoor education offer.  Inspectors observed the school’s morning handover meeting between care and

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Information about this inspection

school staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors and the headteacher toured the school premises to check their suitability.  Inspectors observed pupils in lessons and throughout the school days. Inspectors spoke to some of them about their experience at the school.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records and attendance information.  The inspectors looked at information published on the school’s website.  Inspectors took account of the parent comments and responses on Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tony Bradshaw His Majesty’s Inspector 1 to 3 July 2025 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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